Created by Renata3
Last edited May 15, 2021


Adi Shankara, a Hindu philosopher of the Advaita Vedanta school, composed a large body of literary works[1] which are central to the Advaita Vedanta interpretation of the Prasthanatrayi—the canonical texts consisting of the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita and the Brahma Sutras. His works deal with logically establishing the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta.

Overview[edit | edit source]

Methodology[edit | edit source]

Shankara formulates the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta by validating his arguments on the basis of quotations from the Vedas and other Hindu scriptures.

A large portion of his works is polemical in nature. He directs his polemics mostly against the Sankhya, Bauddha, Jaina, Vaisheshika and other non-vedantic Hindu philosophies.

Authorship[edit | edit source]

Many works thought to be of his authorship are debated and questioned as to their authorship today,[citation needed] including some of his best-known and important works, the Script error: The function "transl" does not exist.[2][3] Maniratnamala, Para-puja and the Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. Script error: The function "transl" does not exist..[4] Other scholars [5] say that Shankaracharya's authorship of the commentaries on the Brahman Sutra, the ten principal Upanishads as well as the Bhagavad Gita are beyond doubt.

Classification[edit | edit source]

Traditionally, his works are classified under

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  • Script error: The function "transl" does not exist., philosophical treatise
  • Stotra, devotional hymn

The commentaries serve to provide a consistent interpretation of the scriptural texts from the perspective of Advaita Vedanta. The philosophical treatises provide various methodologies to the student to understand the doctrine. The devotional hymns are rich in poetry and piety, serving to highlight the helplessness of the devotee and the glory of the deity. A partial list of his works is given below.

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Adi Shankara wrote Script error: The function "transl" does not exist. (commentaries) on

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Adi Shankara wrote the following treatises

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Adi Shankara composed many hymns on Shiva, Vishnu, Devi, Ganesha and Subrahmanya[7]

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  • Subramanya Bhujangam
  • Kashi Panchakam
  • Suvarnamala
  • Mahishasura Mardini stotram
  • Meenakshi Pancha Ratnam
  • Nirvana Shatakam also known as Atma Shatakam
  • Sabarigiri Ashtakam

Editions[edit | edit source]

A lot of editions of the works of Adi Shankara are available. A few of them are given below:[8]

Collections of Works[edit | edit source]

  • Sri Sankara Granthavali - Complete Works of Sri Sankaracarya in the original Sanskrit, v. 1-10, revised ed., Samata Books, Madras, 1998. (Originally published from Sri Vani Vilas Press, Srirangam, 1910ff., under the direction of the Sringeri matha.)
  • Sankaracaryera Granthamala, v. 1-4, Basumati Sahitya Mandira, Calcutta, 1995. (complete works with Bengali translation and commentary)
  • Upanishad-bhashya-sangraha, Mahesanusandhana Samsthanam, Mt. Abu, 1979-1986. Sankara's bhashyas on the Katha, Mandukya, Taittiriya, Chandogya and Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, with Anandagiri's Tīkas and other sub-commentaries.
  • Prakarana-dvadasi, Mahesanusandhana Samsthanam, Mt. Abu, 1981. A collection of twelve prakarana granthas, with commentaries.
  • A Bouquet of Nondual Texts, by Adi Sankara, Translated by Dr. H. Ramamoorthy and Nome, Society of Abidance in Truth, 2006. A collection of eight texts. This volume contains the Sanskrit original, transliteration, word-for-word meaning and alternative meanings, and complete English verses.[9]
  • Svatmanirupanam: The True Definition of One's Own Self, Translated by Dr. H. Ramamoorthy and Nome, Society of Abidance in Truth, 2002[10]
  • Nirguna Manasa Puja: Worship of the Attributeless One in the Mind, Translated by Dr. H. Ramamoorthy and Nome, Society of Abidance in Truth, 1993[11]
  • Hastamalakiyam: A Fruit in the Hand or A Work by Hastamalaka, Translated by Dr. H. Ramamoorthy and Nome, Society of Abidance in Truth, 2017[12]

Brahmasutra Bhashya[edit | edit source]

  • Edited with Marathi translation, by Kasinath Sastri Lele, Srikrishna Mudranalaya, Wai, 1908.
  • Edited with vaiyasika-nyayamala of Bharatitirtha, and Marathi commentary, by Vishnu Vaman Bapat Sastri, Pune, 1923.
  • Selections translated into English, by S. K. Belvalkar, Poona Oriental Series no. 13, Bilvakunja, Pune, 1938.
  • Edited with Adhikarana-ratnamala of Bharatitirtha, Sri Venkatesvara Mudranalaya, Bombay, 1944.
  • Translated into English, by V. M. Apte, Popular Book Depot, Bombay, 1960.
  • Translated into English, by George Thibaut, Dover, New York, 1962. (reprint of Clarendon Press editions of The Sacred Books of the East v.34, 38)
  • Sri Sankaracarya Granthavali, no. 3, 1964.
  • Translated into English, by Swami Gambhirananda, Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata, 1965.
  • Translated into German, by Paul Deussen, G. Olms, Hildesheim, 1966.

Bhagavadgita Bhashya[edit | edit source]

  • Critically edited by Dinkar Vishnu Gokhale, Oriental Book Agency, Pune, 1931.
  • Edited with Anandagiri's Tika, by Kasinath Sastri Agashe, Anandasrama, Pune, 1970.
  • Alladi Mahadeva Sastri, The Bhagavad Gita : with the commentary of Sri Sankaracharya, Samata Books, Madras, 1977.
  • A. G. Krishna Warrier, Srimad Bhagavad Gita Bhashya of Sri Sankaracarya, Ramakrishna Math, Madras, 1983.
  • Translated into English, by Swami Gambhirananda, Advaita Ashrama, Kolkata, 1984.
  • Trevor Leggett, Realization of the Supreme Self : the Bhagavad Gita Yogas, (translation of Sankara's commentary), Kegan Paul International, London, 1995.

Upadeshasahasri[edit | edit source]

  • Sitarama Mahadeva Phadke, Sankaracaryakrta Upadesashasri, Rasikaranjana Grantha Prasaraka Mandali, Pune, 1911. (with Marathi translation)
  • Paul Hacker, Unterweisung in der All-Einheits-Lehre der Inder: Gadyaprabandha, (German translation of and notes on the Prose book of the upadeSasAhasrI) L. Röhrscheid, Bonn, 1949.

Vivekachudamani[edit | edit source]

  • Edited with English translation, by Mohini Chatterjee, Theosophical Publishing House, Madras, 1947.
  • Ernest Wood, The Pinnacle of Indian Thought, Theosophical Publishing House, Wheaton (Illinois), 1967. (English translation)
  • Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood, Shankara's Crest-jewel of Discrimination, with A Garland of Questions and Answers, Vedanta Press, California, 1971.
  • Sri Sankara's Vivekachudamani with an English translation of the Sanskrit Commentary of Sri Chandrashekhara Bharati of Sringeri. Translated by P. Sankaranarayanan. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. 1999

Panchikarana[edit | edit source]

  • Edited with Sureshvara's varttika and varttikabharana of Abhinavanarayanendra Sarasvati (17th century), Sri Vani Vilas Press, Srirangam, 1970.
  • Edited with Gujarati translation and notes, Sri Harihara Pustakalya, Surat, 1970.

See also[edit | edit source]

Notes[edit | edit source]

  1. The authenticity of the Bhashya on "Shvetashvatara Upanishad" ascribed to Shankara, is doubtful and often considered unauthentic.[6]
  2. The authenticity of the "Vivekachudamani", a well-known work ascribed to Shankara, is doubtful,[2][3] though it is "so closely interwoven into the spiritual heritage of Shankara that any analysis of his perspective which fails to consider [this work] would be incomplete".[2]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. "Works of Adi Shankara". Archived from the original on 18 June 2006. Retrieved 26 June 2006.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Shah-Kazemi 2006, p. 4.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Singh & Barauh 2004, p. 1315.
  4. Nakamura 2004, p. 262-265.
  5. Isaeva 1993, p. 94.
  6. Pande 2011, pp. 105–113.
  7. "Slokas". Archived from the original on 15 June 2006. Retrieved 26 June 2006.
  8. Vidyasankar, S. "A Select Bibliography". Archived from the original on 15 June 2006. Retrieved 26 June 2006.
  9. "A Bouquet of Nondual Texts | Society of Abidance in Truth". Society of Abidance in Truth. 20 February 2015. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  10. "Svatmanirupanam, The True Definition of One's Own Self | Society of Abidance in Truth". Society of Abidance in Truth. 20 February 2015. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  11. "Nirguna Manasa Puja (Worship of the Attributeless One in the Mind) | Society of Abidance in Truth". Society of Abidance in Truth. 20 February 2015. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  12. "Hastamalakiyam: A Fruit in the Hand or A Work by Hastamalaka | Society of Abidance in Truth". Society of Abidance in Truth. 17 August 2017. Retrieved 28 October 2017.

Sources[edit | edit source]

  • Isaeva, Natalia (1993). Shankara and Indian Philosophy. Albany: State University of New York Press (SUNY). ISBN 978-0-7914-1281-7. Some editions spell the author Isayeva.
  • Nakamura, Hajime (2004). A History of Early Vedanta Philosophy. Part Two. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Private Limited.
  • Shah-Kazemi, Reza (2006). Paths to Transcendence: According to Shankara, Ibn Arabi & Meister Eckhart. World Wisdom.
  • Singh, N.; Barauh, B. (2004). Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Pali Literature, Volume 1. Global Vision Publishing Ho.
  • Pande, G.C. (2011). Life and Thought of Śaṅkarācārya. Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 978-81-208-1104-1.

External links[edit | edit source]